Adventures in Missing the point

I have watched a constant stream of mis-communication in the media, news, friends and all about.  We humans jump to conclusions. We believe anything that fits our pre-conceived ideas.  We strain for truth to be as WE see it.  Not that I know the truth!  I find myself more and more in the minority in almost any discussion: politics, church family, work, and society.  It is weird to be weird.

Example 1:  I work for a local non-profit that works to promote Music in our state. We had a great idea to create a venue to honor music and to educate the public.  We had this idea to create a Children's Music Exhibit. (Note: WE may not have been a collective WE, but a WE of the involved!)  Any who, we proceeded with the aid of a nationally known firm and did create an exhibit that really works. However along the way, it was discovered that the accounting was a disaster and the funds for the exhibit were being used by the general fund as well.  (This has been resolved and corrected).

BUT we now have a Children's exhibit that the public knows nothing about.  It was never officially opened and sets in the dark. The directors of our organization had such a bad accounting experience, that the idea of a facility to honor and educate about music bit the dust quickly.  Someone like me who has spent 16 years working with the idea doesn't even feel welcome.  Strange world.

For some reason it reminds me of Example 2

Example 2:  In the year 1999 I was leading the redesign of our County Courthouse complex.  The design required the gutting of the courthouse and a total remodel while keeping and in some cases restoring the historical elements.  During construction I got a frantic call from one of our county commissioners. I said that he received a call from a citizen irate that WE meaning I had removed "under God" from the "Pledge of Allegiance"  that adorned the front of the courthouse.  Without thinking he said to me, "Mike, You have got to change that back!"

I not believing what I am hearing said that I had two comments about this issue.

1.  The Pledge of Allegiance was 'carved' in the limestone walls. it would not be possible to remove two words form the middle of the carving and then sort of scoot the other carved letters around.

2. More Importantly the building was erected in 1924, "Under God" was added to to pledge in 1956 during Ike's term.  It has always been that way.

The phone went silent and he said good bye.

Adventures in missing the point.